MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs that regulate gene expression after transcription, and are involved in cancer development. Laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) is one of the most common malignant neoplasms with increasing incidence in recent years. In this paper, we report the overexpression of miR-1297 in LSCC and Hep-2 cells. In addition, PTEN was identified to be directly regulated by miR-1297 through western blot and luciferase activity assay. Furthermore, downregulation of miR-1297 in Hep-2 cells was shown to inhibit cancer cell proliferation, migration, and tumor genesis. Our results document a new epigenetic mechanism for PTEN regulation in LSCC, which is crucial for the development of these tumors. (C) 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.